The donations of our supporters, people like you, are largely responsible for the Foundation's positive impact as detailed in our newsletters. Thank you for your kind generosity and support in helping save lives and reduce suffering. Much more needs to be done, and it cannot happen without your support.

IFA is pleased to announce that the organization has been named one of the 60 finalists out of 550 applicants to the Caplow Children's Prize, a global humanitarian contest that awards a 1-million-dollar grant to either a person or an organization that creates the best plan to save the lives of suffering children. Our proposal, "Born To Breathe: An Integration of Health Technology To Improve Survival of Neonates in 27 Hospitals in 8 Regions of Ethiopia," focused on three preventable conditions that account for 88% of newborn deaths in Africa. After submitting a more detailed plan for saving the lives of young babies suffering from these complications, IFA will wait until September 2013 when the judges determine the finalists to learn whether or not the proposal has been accepted.

The Children's Prize was founded by Ted Caplow, an entrepreneur with a background in environmental engineering who focuses on renewable energy, sustainable food production, and water purification. The contest is supported by the Whole New World Foundation, a private organization dedicated to humanitarian and environmental issues. For more information about the children's prize, please visit: www.childrensprize.org.

Yoga and Veganism Session Held in Addis Ababa

On June 2, 2013, IFA sponsored another Yoga session at IFA's office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Many representatives of the Addis Ababa international community participated. In attendance were individuals from Italy, Somalia, Kenya, the United States, England, Israel, Ethiopia, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, and Finland. After completing a yoga class, the participants enjoyed a vegan lunch. Through these sessions, IFA has been able to extend its efforts to introduce veganism in Ethiopia to both Ethiopians and to foreign residents of the country.

The Real Key To Preventing and Controlling Disease

By Dr. Dawit Mengistu

The human body is a marvel of creation. There are about 100 trillion cells in the human body. The body creates three billion new cells every minute to replace those that die. Health and disease are determined at the level of these millions of cells (at a cellular level), not at the level of organs. Thus the optimum functioning of the body's cells is the foundation of vibrant health.

Cellular Insufficiencies and Cellular Toxins are the two main causes off Cellular Malfunction which surely leads to a DISEASE. Cells lacking what they need or exposed to something harmful will malfunction. Unless cells malfunction, there can be no disease. The thousands of different diseases we experience are merely the effects of thousands of combinations of deficiencies and toxicities acting through a combination of inherited genes, the environment, and our beliefs, thoughts, and our emotions.

The following are the body's nutritional needs that are necessary for new cell growth and proper functioning of the body's systems as a whole. They are:

16 vitamins

80 plus minerals

24 amino acids

Carbohydrates or glycogen

Essential Fatty Acids (EFA's)

Enzymes

Phytonutrients

Sunshine

Glyconutrients (e.g. Glycolipids needed for cellular communication)

Oxygen

Water

The lack of any nutritional element (deficiency in any mineral, vitamin, and enzyme) will cause a disruption of the balance (homeostasis) of the human body leading to the failure of cellular respiration and blood flow will cause cellular malfunction and the formation of disease.

Most people don't understand that it's not the quantity that you take in with nutrition it's the quality and the source. Most people don't take in the proper nutrients necessary to get inside the cells where the genetic material lays, especially the nucleus, which is where the subatomic particles are. That's the power that runs the cellular engines.

Knowing that disease is the result of malfunctioning cells and understanding what makes them malfunction gives us the power to prevent and reverse disease. By paying attention to providing our cells with what they need, avoiding toxins, and living a good lifestyle, we can prevent and even reverse chronic degenerative disease.

The other very important point to be mentioned is that symptoms are not the disease they are just the warning signals of the cellular cries due to cellular malfunction caused by insufficiencies and toxicities. Trying to get rid of these warning signals is for sure not the answer unless we get to the core of the problem and correct the underlying cause which is cellular deficiency and toxicity.

Preventing or reversing disease is about preventing and reversing cellular malfunction. But first we must educate--prevention being our most important tool.

The good news is that prevention and healing are both very simple. Correcting the reasons for cellular malfunction by giving the cells the nutrients they need and minimizing the toxins we ingest, absorb and inhale will help prevent and heal a disease.

Dr. Dawit Mengistu is a public health consultant and manager of Health First Solutions Business and Trading Plc (Ethiopia), giving visual presentations, providing seminars and workshops internationally. He specializes in cutting edge Lifestyle and Preventive Medicine.